This archive report was first published on 17 July 2019.
On Sunday night, undercover police officers conducted a sting operation at various entertainment joints in Nyali, Mombasa, arresting 31 people for smoking shisha.
Among those arrested was the manager of Black Out, a hangout joint that has been identified as a notorious spot for shisha smoking.
According to a senior officer involved in the operation, at least 16 police officers posed as shisha smokers at the club, leading to the arrests.
"The officers were also arrested only to be released later," a source told the Nation.
Mombasa County Police Commander Johnston Ipara warned that the crackdown on shisha smoking would continue, saying, "We have been monitoring that place for quite some time. What was seized is the biggest haul of shisha and we are still going to crack down on the others who have interest in breaking the law."
Despite the government's ban on shisha in December 2017, young people in some upmarket establishments in Mombasa and Kilifi counties continue to smoke the tobacco substance.
